PILOT - Enabling The Highest Performance Precision Automation Systems In The World

The familiar voice of the narrator extolls the virtues of the inherent technological innovation evident in the rapid acceleration and precise braking of a performance car.  These critical features serve as important criteria in car selection and are worth careful attention in precision motion systems as well, especially when short, high acceleration moves or external signal tracking motion is required.

PI has developed PI Lead Optimized Translation (PILOT) Technology to push the bounds of performance into new domains for direct drive stages used in applications with short high acceleration moves requiring rapid settling, and tracking applications with moves following an external signal such as in autofocus systems.

Preventing the Problem instead of Trying to Compensate for It

In this overview, we present an example of results from short highly dynamic moves of a mass of 2.7 kg with tight error bands using repeated 500nm and 50µm continuous steps. The results shown below are using PILOT as noted for best error characteristics and to achieve dynamics in a compact stage form factor enhancing motor performance while reducing motor heating. An advantage of PILOT is that it gives the same dynamics with less error, less motor current, and less injected heat—preventing a problem instead of compensating for it after. PILOT technology can be applied to both linear motion and rotational motion.